"Hey Andrea, where's Jeanette?"
"Last I saw her was about two. Hey, you don't look too
good. Calm down. I'll get some coffee. Sit down. So,
what's wrong?"
"I tell ya, she's always gone, not home, non-existent.
I've even given some mild thought as to getting a
bloodhound, but I don't have any money," he laughs. "What
good is a friend that's never around?"
"Well, you know she's busy. She's carrying a full
eighteen credits. She has swimming practice four times a
week, and Phil-"
"Phil!? WHO'S PHIL?"
"Chill. He's supposedly 'just a friend', just like
you, though they've been doing quite a bit together. They
would make a cute couple. You know Jeanette. She's always
been a bit flighty."
"HEY!"
"Do you disagree with me?"
He looks at her in irritation. He rises slowly from
his seat and leans against the sink. There's silence until
each has coffee in hand.
"Look," arises the voice of Andrea, "you should be
happy for her. You really shouldn't get so attached to
anyone. It's dangerous. Let's go for a walk."
"Sure."
They set down the coffee mugs. Andrea has a look of
empathy about her, while John just seems a bit too high
strung. Approximately half an hour of walking in silence
passes. John finally speaks up, "I'm not looking for
anything serious, just a friend... someone to just simply
spend time with."
Andrea smiles and turns her head half way, looking at
him with only her right eye. The silence stagnates the air.
I don't know if they're dumbfounded or what! Surely, she
must care enough to process what he just said and formulate
a response to it! Oh, I wish she would say something.
"John, have you talked to her about this?"
"Yeah, but she doesn't have any time, and I need a
friend that I can hang out with."
"You know, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about it too
much. Let's go get some ice cream, my treat."
He's just smiling. He sure is one lucky yutz. If only
I were so lucky...
(-copyright Brian David Smith All Rights Reserved)
